Holdback for vehicles



& E L H No. 416,818. Patqnted Deni 10, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC HENRY J. WELCH, OF cARTHAGE, NEW YORK.

HOLDBACK FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. {116,818, dated December 10, 1889. Application filed October 31,1889. Serial No. 328,773. (No niodel.)

To all whom, it may concern; 1

Be it known that I, HENRY J. \VELOH, a citi-l zen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of J eiferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-Ioldbacks for Vehicle- Thills; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in holdback attachments for vehicle-thills, and it has more par ticular reference to that class of holdbackirons in which the object sought to be accomplished is to provide a means whereby in the event of accident resulting in the detachment of the horse from the vehicle, either by the breaking or unhitching of the traces, the holdback-straps may be automatically released from their attachment to the thills by the forward movement of the horse. In holdback -irons of this class as heretofore constructed the operation of the device has been dependent upon the operation or tension of a spring.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve upon the construction, dispense entirely with the use of springs, and at the same time to cheapen and render more serviceable an d positive in operation this class I of devices.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon,-form a part of this specification, like letters of reference indicating like parts throughout the several views, and in which drawings- Figure 1 is a front viewof a holdback at- Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal is a curved standard or extension 0, the

curvature of the inner face of said standard being extended to form the curved recess D in the body ofthe casting. The upper face of the recess D is cut away upon either side of its longitudinal center, thus forming a longitudinal central ridge extending through said recess, for a purpose which will presently appear.

An upwardly-extended lug A rising from the body of the casting at the end of the recess D opposite to that formed by the standard C, forms the pivotal point of the curved lever E, which lever consists of a substantial block of metal. The lower face is curved to correspond with the curvature of the recess D and is concaved, so as to adapt it to be fitted over the convex upper face of the said recess. A'piu or rivet 'F,passed through the lever and a hole in the upper end'of the lug A serves to pivotally attach the lever to the body of the casting A, while the free end G of .the lever serves as a handle by which the said lever may be operated.

It will be seen that by this construction a very simple and eifective deviceis produced. The use of springs is entirely avoided, the form of the lever being such as to cause it to be normally retained Within its seat in the body of the casting by gravity. The weight of the holdback-strap willalso serve to more securely hold the lever in place, while the concaved lower face of the lever fitted, as described,over the corresponding convex upper face of the recess will serve to effectually prevent lateral displacement.

The holdback-strap may be quickly and easily released from its engagement by simply pressing downward upon the handle at IQO the free end of the lever, and the turning of the lever will serve 'to throw the strap free from the device, as will be readily understood.

While I have described my latch as used as a holdback attachment for vehicle-thills, I do not intend to restrict myself. to its use in such connection, as it is at once evident that it is equally Well adapted for use in connec tion with check-hooks of harnesses and in other devices of various character.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the body portion having an upwardly-extended curved standard and curved recess, as described, of a curved gravity-latch pivoted to the body portion and normally fitted within and forming the bottom of said recess, substantially as shown and described.

H. J. WELCH. witnesses:

E. H. MYERS, A. G. PECK. 

